Castles on the Sand

 

                   

The madness.

The meanness.

The unfathomable hatred.

Woefulness too ugly to bear.

How can we still be here?

How is this still a thing?

 

I can’t comprehend it.

I don’t understand.

We can have no agreement,

no reasonable discussion.

It’s only thoughts and prayers.

 

It has drained me to my depths,

to the very marrow of my bones,

with no weeping left in me,

replaced with exhausted stoicism,

I can’t make much more of it,

yet it won’t go away.

 

Over and over,

no lessons ever learned,

nothing is gained,

treading water in the ocean,

castles on the sand,

a ceaseless loop of inactivity.

 

I asked her what day it was

and she told me, “Today.”

I did not chuckle or smirk.

I thought it was a mean answer,

smug and condescending.

 

She thought she was so funny,

though. She smiled at me.

“No, really, is it Tuesday or Wednesday,” I asked.

“It’s Wednesday, I think. I don’t know

anymore. I stopped keeping track,” she said.

“I’m going to say it’s Wednesday,” I said.

 

I was hoping it might be a day

we weren’t killing each other.

But I’m not sure about it.

It’s too early to know.

I’ll have to settle for Wednesday.